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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25469416">Price of Victory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alberta_Sunrise/pseuds/Alberta_Sunrise'>Alberta_Sunrise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:22:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25469416</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alberta_Sunrise/pseuds/Alberta_Sunrise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A different ending to the battle on Sorgan. Even winning comes at a price</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a story I have been working on alongside my other one. Just one that I thought of whilst watching this particular episode. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think in the comments!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Take the bait you hunk of Junk.’ growled the Mandalorian as he watched the walker scanning the ground with its bright white spotlight.</p><p>Cara hoped into one of the many ponds that littered the village, falling right into the walker's line of sight. Before it could fire, she did which caused it to step forward and lose its footing on the bank. This was the opportunity that the Mandalorian needed and he leapt from the body of water he had taken momentary refuge in, sprinting across the battlefield with his charge in hand. He slapped his explosive onto the walker before swiftly turning away to try and avoid the blast. A blaster shot hit his shoulder causing him to stumble and at that moment the charge exploded behind him, the force pushing him into the water where Cara lay hidden. The explosion caused the enemy to stopped in their tracks and upon seeing the walker in flames, they hastily retreated into the woods. The villagers began to cheer and Cara laughed to herself as she panted from exhaustion.</p><p>‘The battle is won we did it’ she said to the Mandalorian but he did not answer.</p><p>Confused she looked over to see him floating face down in the water.</p><p>‘Shit’ she cursed as she dragged his limp form from the water.</p><p>‘Where are our saviours?’ shouted a villager as he waved his blaster above his head triumphantly.</p><p>‘Help!’ screamed Cara and everyone fell silent.</p><p>The smile on Omera’s face soon faded as she saw the Mandalorian’s limp form in the shock trooper’s arms. Dropping her weapon she ran to Cara’s side along with the two villagers who had gone to fetch him. She placed her fingers on his neck, desperately searching for a pulse and she found one… but she also found blood. A lot of blood. She pulled down the fabric that covered his neck to find that he was losing blood at an alarming rate.</p><p>‘I think whatever has done this has hit an artery.’ she said and she ripped some cloth from her cloak and started to put pressure on the wound ‘Hold that there.’ she said to Cara as she began to inspect his other wounds.</p><p>Anywhere that his Beskar didn’t cover was littered with scratches. Some of the wounds were small and certainly weren’t life-threatening. Others were a cause for concern. He had a large piece of metal protruding from this thigh, another from his arm, all of which could quite possibly have pierced an artery also.</p><p>‘We need to get him to my hut, I can tend to him better there.’ She said as she watched them all carefully lift the wounded warrior, Cara still desperately trying to hold his precious blood in.</p><p>She was hot on their heals and she hurried them out as soon as they had placed him on the bed, the only one that she allowed to remain was the ex shock trooper.</p><p>‘I need to stitch his wounds but I need more light, can you bring those lanterns over.’ She said, her eyes motioning towards the two lights that illuminated her kitchen.</p><p>Cara complied and placed them strategically overhead so that Omera would have the best possible light she could. Whilst Cara had been doinb that she had quickly fetched her medikit and started to stitch his neck wound. The pillow beneath his head was almost completely saturated in his blood and she wondered if he was going to live after losing so much. After what felt like an age she successfully sewed his neck wound and moved onto the shrapnel that was deeply embedded in his arm. After prepping the wound she carefully to began to pull the metal from his arm, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that it hadn’t nicked his artery. She swiftly sewed up that, wiping her brow with her sleeve.</p><p>‘I need you to hold him as I try and remove the shrapnel from his leg.’ She said calmed.</p><p>Cara nodded and gently pulled her friend onto his side, holding him steady as Omera ripped the material open farther so she could see the wound better. Placing a bandage around it and placing pressure as she had with his arm she slowly started to pull the jagged metal from his leg. This elicited a moan of pain from the fighter but he did not stir and so she continued to pull the foreign object from his leg. Suddenly the Mandalorian’s body began to shake as the pain began to get much for him. He was pulled viscously from unconsciousness to find himself being held in place with strong arms. Cara he thought to himself as he fought to clear his senses. The pain returned and he managed to force himself free from her grip, a movement that he came to regret as his eyes were greeted by Omera holding a large, irregular shaped shard of metal in her hand. The pain in his leg was unbearable and he looked down to see blood spurting from where he assumed the piece of metal had come from. Cara pulled herself from her state of shock and went about attempting to staunch the bleeding as the Mandalorian writhed on the bed.</p><p>‘You need to stay still.’ said Omera as she grabbed his hand.</p><p>He calmed and clasped her hand tight. He knew she could not see the fear that was currently plastered all over his face but he was sure that she could sense it. Darkness pulled at his mind again. Its welcoming embrace was becoming exceedingly difficult to resist.</p><p>‘Try and keep him awake.’ Omera said to Cara as she desperately tried to stop the endless flow of blood that gushed from his leg wound.</p><p>‘Come on, you’re not seriously going to let yourself get beaten by a few grazes are you?’ she jested, his head lolling to one side as he watched her through his visor ‘Come on, we still need to see who’s stronger.’ she continued as she grabbed his other hand and squeezed it.</p><p>‘I think you’ll find it's me.’ he joked back, his laboured breathing clear through his helmet’s modulator.</p><p>‘Well, we’ll see about that.’ She said as squeezed his hand in an attempt to comfort him, his body began to slacken as unconsciousness took hold and Cara panicked ‘Don’t you go passing out on me.’ she pleaded.</p><p>She looked up at Omera who was finishing up stitching his wound, giving her a nod as she cut the thread with the knife at her side.</p><p>‘Looks like you’re all patched up now. Wasn't that bad after all.’ she said as she smiled at him but the darkness won and his body went limp, the only evidence that he was alive was his laboured breathing.</p><p>‘Let him rest now. He has lost a lot of blood and needs time to heal’ said Omera as she stood up ‘All we can do now is wait.’</p><p>Cara gave her a nod and stood also, knowing there was no more she could do here.</p><p>‘Take care of him.’ she said plainly before she turned and left, leaving Omera and the Mandalorian alone.</p><p>The woman pulled up a wooden chair and sat herself down at his side. She took the opportunity to take him in. Her eyes drifted up to his exposed neck wound, noticing that his skin was tanned like hers. She then saw small tufts of brown hair. She wondered what he looked like beneath that metal mask. She imagined he had dark brown eyes like her and wavy curls. She imagined he had a little facial hair and a strong jawline. She knew she’d never know the face beneath his helmet but it gave her pleasure to imagine it. His strong arms around her keeping her safe. She had been alone so long that had never stopped to think that perhaps she could find love again. Unfortunately, though she knew that she wouldn’t be enough to pull him from duty. So she sat there, listening to the uneven breaths he took. Relieved he was breathing at all. She sat there through the night, her gaze never faltering for she felt that if she took her eyes off him for just a second, he would slip away.</p><p>Morning came and Omera could hear the hushed voices of the villagers trying to find out how their hero was fairing. She shifted herself so that she was sat on the edge of his bed and she began to inspect his wounds. Her fingers touched his delicate skin but she flinched at the heat that greeted them. She unbuckled his belt and lifted his jerkin exposing more skin. She placed her hand against his flesh and he burned to her touch. His body was now plagued with fever. This was the next thing that could kill him. He needed medicine… and fast.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Fever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Has anyone got any medicine.’ pleaded Omera as she sprinted out of her hut, eyes wild.</p><p>‘What's going on?’ asked Cara as she ran to Omera’s side.</p><p>‘He’s got a fever, he’s burning up fast and if we don’t treat him he will die.’ she replied, her voice shaking.</p><p>‘Shit.’ spat Cara ‘Well? Does anyone have any medicine? Your hero will perish without it!’</p><p>No one responded, just look on at them with wounded expressions. Winta started to weep as she held the child in her arms.</p><p>‘He may have medicine in the ship but that's a day there and a day back.’ she started as she turned back to the woman whose panic was etched into her tired features ‘How long has he got?’</p><p>‘If he continues to burn up…’ she paused as if searching for the right words to say next ‘He won’t make to through the night.’</p><p>Cara stood back in shock, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape as the gravity of Omera’s words hit her.</p><p>‘What do we do?’</p><p>‘We should strip him of his armour.’ she stated as her eyes drifted to the shivering fighter in her bed.</p><p>’He's a Mandalorian, he’d die before taking it off.’</p><p>Omera nodded, she knew there would be no convincing him. They needed to think of something fast as he was probably not going to make it to nightfall, never mind tomorrow. She walked back into her hut, sitting down again on the edge of the bed. The Mandalorian’s body shook as the fever raged through him, she could feel the heat that radiated from him through his thick clothing. She placed a soothing hand on his arm and he calmed to her touch.</p><p>‘How long have I been out?’ He croaked as he turned his head to look at his carer.</p><p>‘Only since last night.’ she replied as she smiled at him ‘You’ve developed a fever and we have no medicine to treat you.’</p><p>‘I have some back on my ship.’ he replied as he shifted awkwardly.</p><p>‘They won’t make it back in time.’ She said plainly.</p><p>‘I’ll be fine.’</p><p>‘You are burning up too fast.’ She said ‘We need to remove your armour. It won’t be helping.’</p><p>‘No’</p><p>‘The helmet can stay on, just the rest of it.’ she stated, her eyes pleading.</p><p>He did not respond, his eyes resting on the woven roof above their heads.</p><p>‘Please let me help you… please.’</p><p>He looked at her again, her eyes brimmed with fresh tears.</p><p>‘Okay.’ he breathed ‘Just the armour. The helmet remains.’</p><p>Omera nodded before moving closer to him. She started to unfasten his armour, peeling it off piece by piece. Finishing with his gloves, revealing his strong hands. She fetched a bowl of cool water from the kitchen and a cloth and began to mop his exposed skin. The cool water felt good. His body shook as the fire in his blood continued to burn, he knew that his chances of making it through this were slim but part of him wanted to fight.</p><p>‘Where is the child?’ he said, his tone changing to one of panic.</p><p>‘He’s with my daughter Winta. Would you like me to fetch him?’</p><p>The Mandalorian nodded weakly and watched as she left in search of the child. He had grown attached to him, even if he didn’t want to admit it. She returned shortly with the baby in her arms, his big brown eyes looking at him, arms outstretched. Omera placed the child beside the Mandalorian, his head moving again so that he could look at him. He raised a hand and let the child hold onto one of his fingers which made the child squeal with glee. Its expression changed however when he noticed the large gash across his protector's neck, its eyes then traveling down to the one on his arm. It raised its arms and closed its eyes and its little body shook as it concentrated. The Mandalorian watched him in confusion and after a few short moments, the child fell on its rump panting. It opened its large eyes and seemed dismayed to see that the Mandalorian’s wounds were still there.</p><p>‘Thank you for caring for him.’ he said, his gaze not wavering from his charge.</p><p>‘It's my pleasure.’ Replied Omera as she smiled at the duo ‘He seems to care for you a great deal.’</p><p>‘Yes.’ He replied sadly.</p><p>He knew that if he were to die it would hurt the child. Of course, it would move on overtime but there was a part of him deep down that didn't want to do that to him. His mind was dragged from thoughts of the child to the fact that he could feel unconsciousness gnawing away at him again, his strength being burned away by this savage fever but yet he felt cold.</p><p>‘I think perhaps I should sleep.’ he said, desperately trying to hide his current state.</p><p>Omera nodded and Winta appeared through the entrance of the hut, taking the child in her arms and turning to leave again but not before stopping to take in the warriors sorry state. She smiled at him sadly before taking the baby outside again.</p><p>‘Shall I get you something to eat?’ she quizzed, unsure how he was going to eat on his own in his current state.</p><p>‘No thank you, I’m not hungry.’</p><p>‘I will leave you to rest then’ she replied before grabbing her shawl from the back of her chair and wrapping it around her shoulders.</p><p>‘Thank you.’ He said as he watched her step towards the doorway.</p><p>‘Sleep.’ she replied as she smiled at him and left.</p><p>Now that he was alone his emotions burst from him like a broken dam. His breathing quickened as he fought hard to control the pain that threatened to swallow him whole. He pulled off his helmet and allowed the cool morning air to lick his burning skin, grunting at the pain the action brought him. Tears threatened to spill as he took deep and controlled breathes. The pain in his leg was the worst, spreading down his whole leg like a fast-spreading venom. He knew that he would not have long before Omera returned so he lavished the time he had where he was free of his metal mask. He watched Omera through the small crack in the curtain that covered the entrance to the hut. She was crouched beside her daughter and the child, giggling as the small green baby attempted to catch a toad. He caught himself smiling. He could not deny that he had become attached to the woman, her kind heart made him wonder if perhaps he should take off the helmet and stay. A simpler life seemed like a tempting prospect but he knew that part of him would miss the sense of duty that came with the armour he bore. The black abyss once again prodded at his mind and so he placed his helmet back on before allowing her clutches to drag him under. There was no pain there.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Omera laughed as she watched her daughter and the child play, their innocence was something she envied. She noticed the sun was starting to fail and made her way back to her hut where Cara was sat at the Mandalorian’s side.</p><p>‘How is he?’ she asked softly as she walked inside.</p><p>‘His fever’s getting worse.’ replied Cara ‘I heard him rambling and so I came to see if he was okay. I’ve tried to wake him but its taken too strong a hold on him now. He’s fading fast.’</p><p>Omera’s eyes widened as she sat down on the end of the bed, placing her fingers against his skin and wincing at the heat.</p><p>‘He’s going to die isn’t he.’ Cara asked, her eyes not wavering from the form laid on in front of her.</p><p>‘There is a treatment that I have heard of in the past.’ Said Omera suddenly which caught Cara’s attention ‘You lay the person in icy water and force their body to cool. It’s hard on the body though so it may heal him… or it might kill him.’</p><p>‘What other choice do we have?’ questioned Cara as she sat forward in her seat.</p><p>‘None. He most certainly won’t make it till the morning if his fever continues to rise.’ she stated plainly.</p><p>‘Then let's do it!.’ said Cara as she started to stand.</p><p>‘Its not that simple.’ Omera replied as she raised her hand to stop her ‘The ponds here do get icy cold but not till the dead of night. We will have to wait till then’</p><p>‘He might not make it till then!.’ said Cara, her tone desperate.</p><p>‘I know but we have no other choice. They won’t be cold enough now for it to work.’ she replied as she fetched a fresh bowl of cold water from the kitchen. Placing it down on the table beside him Cara grabbed the cloth that swam in the liquid and placed it on his bare neck, rubbing his arm as his body shook.</p><p>‘How long have you known each other.’ asked Omera as she watched the ex stormtrooper tend her friend.</p><p>‘Not long. I met him the day before we met you.’</p><p>Omera gave her a confused look ‘You’ve come to care for him a great deal.’</p><p>‘What can I say the guy grows on you.’ she replied as she dumped the cloth back in the bowl sloshing some of its contents over the edge.</p><p>The woman stood, giving the Mandalorian one last glance before moving to leave.</p><p>‘Fetch me when it's time.’</p><p>Omera nodded and watched Cara leave. She knew that what they were going to do was dangerous, she hadn’t had the heart to tell her that it would more likely kill him than cure him. She sat down on the chair and rested her head in her hands. The Mandalorian’s labored breathing echoed in her mind. She had to pull herself together and so she sat on the bed and started checking over his wounds. His neck had started to heal nicely along with his arm but his leg wasn’t faring as well. It was infected and she would need to cut the infection away, otherwise their efforts tonight would be wasted. She started to cut the stitches with her knife and opened the wound to get a better look at the infected tissue. This action elicited a moan from the man she tended.</p><p>‘Can you hear me?’ she asked as she continued to work.</p><p>The Mandalorian didn’t react, just continued to shift and shiver. Pained groans were the only thing that escaped his lips.</p><p>‘The whole village is so grateful for what you did for us.’ she continued ‘They are all praying you recover.’</p><p>Still, he said nothing but the pained groans became worse as she started to cut away the infection. His breathing quickened and he shifted violently but Omera kept a firm grip on his leg as she worked. Once she was finished she went and fetched her needle and thread so that she could stitch up the wound again. She placed her hand on the side of his neck, hushing him as he writhed in pain.</p><p>‘Calm…’ she soothed ‘I’m almost done.’</p><p>He calmed to her touch, leaning into her hand. She smiled at him, he had come across as such a hard, strong warrior but now he was vulnerable. She finished stitching him up and re-bandaged his leg. Winta entered with the child in her arms, it squeaked as it saw his protector laid on the bed. The girl placed the child at his side and sprinted to her mother, wrapping her arms around her waist.</p><p>‘How is he?’ she asked as she held her tightly.</p><p>‘He’s not well sweetie.’ she replied as she looked down into her daughter's sad eyes ‘But we’re doing everything we can to help him.’</p><p>Winta nodded and plopped herself down at the hunter's side, taking his hand in hers she started to sing to him. Omera smiled, proud of the kind caring soul her daughter was growing up to be. She had made some mistakes in her life but she had done her best to make amends and in return had been blessed with a happy marriage and a beautiful daughter. The short years she and her husband had shared had been happy, but he had been ripped from her too soon. She remembered the pain that had brought her and knew that if the Mandalorian was to die, that's how the child would feel.</p><p>The sun had faded beneath the trees and darkness filled the air. People started to say their goodnights to one another as the hour grew late. Omera had engaged the help of two villagers to assist her with carrying the Mandalorian from the Hut and placing him at the edge of the pond. She sat there with her shawl wrapped around her delicate shoulders, waiting for the opportune moment to start. Cara had come and sat with them, watching the Hunter shiver in the cooling night air.</p><p>‘How much longer?’ she asked</p><p>‘I think soon the water will be cold enough.’ Replied Omera as she smiled weakly at the fellow woman.</p><p>Cara nodded and went back to watching the Mandalorian. A few villagers had remained and were sat around the edge of the pond, their expressions a mixture of sorrow and apprehension. A while past and Omera looked nervously at her patient and then to Cara.</p><p>‘It’s time.’ she said quietly as she positioned herself behind him and propped his top half in her lap.</p><p>Cara then grabbed his legs and together they slipped him into the icy water, with the ex storm trooper following him in to keep him afloat.</p><p>‘Shit it's freezing.’ she joked as she began to shiver, her teeth chattering so hard she thought they would shatter ‘How long do we keep him in here?’</p><p>‘A while.’ she said as Omera held his helmet, stroking the cold metal with her thumb.</p><p>She wished she could stroke his hair and tell him that all was going to be okay but the truth was she didn’t know if he would be. He started to shake more violently, and Cara held him firm as he fought back in his unconscious state. The remained villagers sat, watched, and prayed that it would work, pitching together to pull him out of the cold water and carry him back to the hut when it was done. There, Omera wrapped him tightly in blankets to keep him warm as he shivered and mumbled. She tried to soothe him but she could not and so resigned to watching him sleep, hoping he would not die before dawn. As the hours passed Omera felt herself losing the battle with sleep, her eyes growing heavier and heavier until finally, she allowed herself to give in.</p><p>She was woken by her daughter Winta tugging on her shawl.</p><p>‘Mum he’s awake!!’ she squealed.</p><p>With that Omera woke with a start, wide eyes greeted by a familiar black visor looking back at her.</p><p>‘Good Morning.’ she said sweetly as she smiled at him.</p><p>‘Good Morning.’ he replied, exhaustion still evident in his voice.</p><p>‘How are you feeling?’</p><p>‘Better than I was.’ he replied plainly, watching as she maneuvered herself to the edge of the bed.</p><p>Delicately she pulled down the blanket that covered his no longer shivering form and placed her cool hands against his skin.</p><p>‘You fever has broken.’ she said as she breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>Smiling at him as she then put her hand on his shoulder and looked at him sweetly.</p><p>‘Thank you…’ he started, looking away as if embarrassed ‘For helping me.’</p><p>‘For saving you more like.’ came another voice taking them both by surprise, ‘You were as good as dead last night Mando, Omera saved your ass.’ said Cara as she entered the hut with a smile on her face.</p><p>‘Well yes… thank you again.’ he said awkwardly as he tried to push himself up in the bed.</p><p>‘Don’t run before you can walk.’ Said Omera as she pushed him back down ‘The treatment we gave you is very hard on the body. Rest.’</p><p>The Mandalorian complied, already losing the battle with sleep. Omera stood and walked to Cara, her smile from ear to ear.</p><p>‘He will live.’ she said as she let out an elated laugh.</p><p>‘Thank you.’ Replied Cara as she nodded at the woman in appreciation.</p><p>The battle had been hard but it had been won. A few weeks later The Mandalorian was back on his feet and ready to head out, but he knew that he had one last thing to do. Walking up to Omera he thought hard about what he was to ask her, it was a lot but he knew that it was right.</p><p>‘Excuse me…’ he said as he came up behind her ‘May I have a word?’</p><p>‘Of course.’ she replied, smiling as she stood and followed him away from prying ears.</p><p>‘It’s very nice here.’</p><p>‘Yes’ she said and she beamed at him.</p><p>‘I think it's clear he’s… he’s happy here.’ he continued</p><p>‘What about you?’ she quizzed.</p><p>This question took him by surprise, he couldn't remember the last time he was asked if he was happy ‘Me?’</p><p>‘Are you happy here?’ She pushed but he did not know how to answer ‘We want you to stay… The community's grateful and you can pack all of this away in case there's ever trouble.’</p><p>The Mandalorian stood there, dumbfounded by her words. He hadn’t stopped to think that perhaps he could settle somewhere, stay in one place, have a family. He glanced at the child before returning his gaze to the woman before him.</p><p>‘You and your boy could have a good life.’ she continued ‘He could be a child for a while… wouldn’t that be nice?’</p><p>He could feel emotions building up within him that he had not felt in a long time. This woman was offering him peace, normality and it was so tempting. He glanced at the child who was playing with the others and imagined what life would be like if he did just pack this all away.</p><p>‘It would’ he choked.</p><p>Omera reached up and took his helmet in her hands, gently trying to lift it and reveal the man she had come to admire and for a moment he almost let her. His hands then grabbed hold of hers and pushed them away, his heart sinking as he did it but he did not let go.</p><p>‘I don’t belong here.’ he said shaking his head ‘but he does.’</p><p>‘I understand.’ she said sadly, fighting the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks ‘I will look after him as one of my own.’</p><p>They stood there for a moment, his hands still holding hers. He didn't want it to end but he was torn from his moment of reverie by a gunshot. He leaped in front of her, frantically searching for where the sound had come from.</p><p>‘Go get the kids.’ he said as he raised his blaster and ran off in the direction the sound had come from.</p><p>Darting into the woods he was greeted by Cara who was stood over a smoking corpse. He kicked over the body to reveal a bleeping tracker beneath it. Picking it up his heart sunk again as he realized who the hunter had been looking for.</p><p>‘Who’s he tracking?’</p><p>‘The kid.’</p><p>‘They know he's here.’ she said as she glanced at the body and then back at the Mandalorian.</p><p>‘Yes,’ he said as he turned to look at his comrade.</p><p>‘Then they'll keep coming.’ she stated.</p><p>‘Yes.’ he conceded before throwing the tracker on a rock and stomping on it.</p><p>He stalked off back to the village, angry that his plan was now in tatters.</p><p>‘Everything okay?’ asked Omera as she ran to his side.</p><p>‘No, the hunters have tracked the child here. We need to leave.’</p><p>‘Now?’ she said sadly, grabbing his hand in hers.</p><p>He looked down at the soft fingers that wrapped themselves around his gloved hand.</p><p>‘I am afraid so.’ he replied ‘There will be more coming after him.’</p><p>Omera nodded watching him as he walked to the barn to pack his things. Her heart ached for him to stay with them but she knew that he could not and that she would never see him again.</p>
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